HC Deb 05 August 1907 vol 179 cc1554-6
MR. VINCENT KENNEDY (Cavan, W.)

I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland if he is aware that an armed force of police, with District Inspectors Sharpe, Vanston, and Davis, and Mr. Sullivan, R.M., attended at Lismacanigan, county Cavan, on 28th July, where a public meeting in support of the reinstatement of the evicted tenants was announced to be held; that the officers in charge of the police stated that they had instructions to prevent the holding of the said meeting; that, after allowing the proceedings to be opened, the police got orders to fix bayonets, but subsequently the bayonets were sheathed, and a baton charge ordered and carried out; that as a result of this action a district councillor named Peter Smith received a serious injury; will he say who was responsible for the appearance of this armed force in a peaceable district, and what instructions were issued to the resident magistrate and police officers on the occasion; is he aware that, on the same day, the police took possession of a platform erected on the land of Mr. Nicholas Sheridan, Omard, who had given permission to the promoters for the holding of a meeting on his property, the meeting being called for the purpose of advising the tenants on the Dungimmon estate on the question of purchasing their holdings under the Land Purchase Act of 1903.

MR. CHERRY

Meetings were announced to be held on 28th July upon two evicted farms at Lismacanican and Dungimmon, the object of the meetings being to compel the present tenants to surrender the farms. As the object of the meetings was clearly intimidatory and unlawful, the Government directed that no meetings should be permitted on or near the evicted farms, and the promoters were warned accordingly. A force of sixty police under District Inspector Sharpe was assembled to carry out the orders of the Government. Mr. Sullivan, R.M., was merely present as a spectator. Twelve of the police were fully armed, and the remainder carried truncheons only. Forty of the police attended at Lismacanican, where a platform had been erected within forty yards of the evicted farm. About 1,500 persons, with bands and banners, came to the place, and despite the warnings previously given and repeated on the spot, an attempt was made to hold a meeting. The district inspector repeatedly called upon the crowd to disperse, and as they persistently refused to do so he ordered the police to disperse the crowd with truncheons, and this was done, no more force being used than was necessary. No injuries were reported except that Mr. Smith is said to have received a slight injury to the hand. A meeting was subsequently held at some distance from the evicted farm. In the case of Dungimmon, a platform had also been erected near the evicted farm and the new tenant's residence. In that case, however, the police eventually succeeded in persuading the leaders to hold a meeting elsewhere, and consequently no collision occurred.

MR. FLYNN

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why the police in Cavan are armed with deadly weapons while those in Belfast have only truncheons?

MR. CHERRY

Only a small number are so armed. In Belfast the services of the military have been secured.

MR. MOORE

Are the tenants of these two farms to be transplanted under the Evicted Tenants Bill as being dangerous to the peace of the neighbourhood?

MR. CHERRY

That is a hypothetical Question I cannot answer. The Bill has not yet become law.

MR. MOORE

Have the dispossessed holders of these farms been included in the 2,000 cases dealt with by the Bill?

MR. CHERRY

I cannot answer that without notice.